Slowly but with growing frequency, African-American art is moving into the museum mainstream. It was announced yesterday that a group of works were just bought for San Francisco’s museums:

The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the largest public arts institution in San Francisco, announced Thursday an acquisition of 62 major works from African American artists in the south. The organization, which operates the de Young and the Legion of Honor, acquired a mix of paintings, sculptures, drawings, and quilts by 22 celebrated artists, including Thornton Dial, Lonnie Holley and Ralph Griffin. The works came from the Atlanta-based Souls Grown Deep Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving, exhibiting and promoting the work of black artists from the American south.

Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Acquire Major Works from African American Artists (KQED Arts)